Pilates for a Healthy Spine: How Pilates Relates to Your Chiropractic Health

Over the years the Pilates Method of exercise has become synonymous for not only toning and shaping dancer like bodies, but also easing back pain and preventing injuries. So, there are many obvious connections to your chiropractic healthcare. Many times the phrase “core strength” gets used to describe the method of movement because there is a major focus on building strength from the center of the body. Similarly, this is a term you will often hear your chiropractor use in treatment.

There is a direct link between spine health and core strength, but first let’s dive into what the core actually is.

The core is not just about abdominal muscles or having a “6-pack.” The core comprises a group of muscles in the body that should be equally balanced and strong. These muscles are: the rectus abdominis, the transverse abdominals, the obliques, the low back extensors, and the glute muscles. Essentially, the core is just about everything except the arms, legs, and head.

Pilates is a system of exercises that focuses on building strength from the core first. It places emphasis on working around what is called “neutral spinal alignment,” basically meaning that the anatomical correct alignment of the spine is the main focus on where strength is developed. This helps with the awareness of posture and how we sit and stand. When strength is built from this alignment, improperly overloading the joints with body weight (commonly seen in the low back) is significantly reduced, which helps to alleviate pain and the potential for future injury. As you can see, there are many similarities between the benefits and goals of Pilates and chiropractic work. There is also a focus on syncing the breath with movement that helps to develop a deeper mind to body connection and better body awareness.

Whether back pain or stiffness is present, or if you are looking to prevent the onset of injury, Pilates is a great option for exercise. If you are in the San Francisco area, consider checking out Maiden Lane Studios. Or, if you are ready to add massage or chiropractic care to your treatment regime, please get in touch to schedule an appointment with SF Custom Chiro.